World War II 1939-1945Introduction Video Clip

European Theater

Hitler’s Early Victories Through The Blitzkrieg:

“Lighting Warfare”o Swift strike by armored

vehicles supported by airplanes

Poland: 4 Weeks

Winter of 1939-1940: Phony War -Nothing Happens

April 1940 (Heats Up)o Denmark and Norway Less

than a montho Winston Churchill takes over

Belgium (18 Days), Netherlands (5 Days), and Luxembourg

The Assault on France (1 Month) Maginot Line MAGINOT LINE VIDEO CLIP (2:22-End)

o Defensive Fortifications along French/German Borderso Impregnable

Germany flanked around the Maginot Line o Through Ardennes o Splitting and Trapping the allied forces in France at Dunkirk

Evacuation at Dunkirk Evacuation Video Clipo ANY AND ALL BRITISH SHIPS evacuated 338,000 allied troops to England.o Left France to be Occupied by the Germans

Vichy France -Puppet State led by Marshall Petain

French Resistance - Led by Charles de Gaulle from England

The Battle of Britain (Operation Sealion CLIP) The Last Remaining Democracy in Europe Decisive Air Battle:

o Amphibious Assualt Requires Air Dominance

o Luftwaffe vs Royal Air Forceo Luftwaffe bombards air bases and military

targetso RAF attack Berlino Hitler Initiates the Blitz

Revenge Bombings on English Cities like London

Winston Churchill: “We will never surrender”

Recovered Royal Air Force Crushes Luftwaffeo Radar and Better Fighters

Operation Sealion is Postponed

Eastern Europe Part 1: Operation Barbarossa Hitler Quickly turns attention towards

“Lebensraum” Invasion of the Soviet Union June 22, 1941 300,000 Manned Force 1800 mile front Closing in on Leningrad, Moscow, Oil Fields of

Caucus, and Stalingrad Siege Stalingrad for 900 Days Video Clip: 0:40-18:00

Role of the U.S. United States Mixed Feelings Isolationism: Remaining Neutral This is a European War, Remember World War I Favored Allied: “Arsenal of Democracy”

o Lend Lease Act- supplies, materials, weapons to Allies

The Pacific and US Entranceo -Japanese Imperialism: Nationalistic and Militaristic

-1931 Invade Manchuria -1937 Invade China

o -Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere: “Asia for the Asians” -Liberate Asia from Western Colonialism -Invade and “liberate” much of Asia

o -Draws attention and threats/embargo from U.S.

Pearl Harboro -Eliminate U.S. as a threat to their S. East Asian Empireo -December 7th 1941

-Japanese surprise attack on U.S. Naval Base Pearl Harbor -350 aircraft destroyed or damaged

- 18 ships sunk or destroyed -3,500 Americans killed or wounded

-NO AIRCRAFT CARRIERS AFFECTED

United States Officially Enters the War on December 8 th 1942 CLIP

The Establishment of the Grand Alliance Great Britain, U.S., and Soviet Union Extreme differences in Ideologies ignored Agree:

Unconditional Surrender Europe First

Beginning of the End: The Allied Offensives

North Africa: “Hinge of Fate” British and American forces defeat German and

Italian forces at El Alamein

Operation Husky: Italian Campaign Africa Victory Opens Italy Alleviate Pressure on Soviets Put Pressure on Axis Powers

Eastern Europe Part 2 CLIP : Battle of Stalingrad 26:50 - END

1,000,000+ Casualtieso Personal Battle between Stalin and Hitler

2 Month Battle, Both Undersupplied Hitler promotes Paulus to Field Marshal

o No German Field Marshal Ever Surrendered

o German 6th Army Encircled by Russians

o Only 90,000 Soldiers left Paulus Surrenders

o Only 5,000 of 300,000 Returned to Germany After War

Western Europe: D-DAY June 6th 1944Video Clip

o Allied Invasion Normandy, Franceo 2 million soldiers and 500,000 vehicleso Opens up a “cautious” front in the West

Allies push towards Berlin*Russians push through Poland into Germany

*Patton liberates France *Montgomery invades Germany through Netherlands

Belgium: Battle of the Bulgeo Video Clip o Last German offensiveo Allied Line Bends but Does Not Breako Race to Berlin

Battle of Berlin-Germany uses young and old men-Hitler commits suicide on April 30th, 1945-May 8th 1945 declared V-E Day

Pacific TheaterBattle of Coral Sea

-U.S. stops Japanese advance and saves Australia

Battle of Midway Video Clip-Turning point in the war in the Pacific-U.S. establishes Naval Dominance by destroying 4 Japanese Carriers-Allowed U.S. to begin campaign of Island Hopping to reach Japan

Iwo Jima and Okinawa-Strategic Islands to reach Japan-Acquisition was COSTLY-FEARED MAINLAND INVASION OF JAPAN

-10s of millions of Japanese Deaths-Millions of American Deaths

President Harry Truman-Decides to use Atomic Bomb

-August 6th: Hiroshima-August 9th: Nagasaki